Feed-water heater for locomotives



Dec. 29, 1925. v

l J. H. KiDWELL FEED WATER HEATER FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed August 2 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Q Oacco wnuassm ATTORNEYS Dec. 29', 1925.

J. H. KIDWELL FEED WATER HEATER FOR LOCOMOTIVES 1924 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed August 2 INVENTOR QZ/KIYz'aQa-eZZ L ATTORNEYS J. H. KIDWELL FEED WATER HEATER FOR LOCOMOTIVES Dec. 29, 1925- 1,567,514

I Filed August 1924 I s Sheets-Sheet 5 WITNESSES 55 INVENTOR 52 a? Jam-$01854 4, Ty/M x ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FEED-WATER HEATEB'FOR LOCOMOTIVES.

Application filed August 26, 1924. Serial No. 734,344.

To all whom it may 6091 0cm:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. KIDWELL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Staunton, in the county of Augusta and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feed-Water Heaters for Locomotives, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in feed water heaters for locomotives and it consists of the constructions, combinations and arrangements herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention-is to provide a feed water heater having a tubular casing of annular form, the ends of the casing communicating with the steam chamber of a coupling, said coupling supporting both the casing and an outer shell in which the casing is situated. 1 v

Another object of the invention is to produce a feed water heater of the general description already mentioned, including certain details of construction which have been worked out as being most advantageous in a structure of this kind.

Another object of the invention is to provide a feed water heater having blow-out valves both for the steam chamber and for the water chamber.

Other objects and advantages appear in the following specification reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which which the improved feed water heater is installed. I

Figure 2 is a sectional view illustrating the various valves in the cold and hot water feed pipes.

Figure 3 is a central section of the heater. Figure 4. is a rear elevation. This invention is an improvement on the patent on feed water heaters granted to J. H. Kidwell on October 13, 1908, #901,245.

The purpose of the present invention is the same as that of the invention in the patent, certain important changes being embodied, however, these being the result of considerable experimentation.

In practice the locomotive L is equipped with: a suitable injector which delivers water from the tank of the locomotive tender to the improved feed water heater. These parts are not shown inasmuch as they may be of any known construction. The injector delivers the water by way of the pipe 5 which extends forwardly, ultimately reaching the improved feed water heater in the extension front or smoke box 6 of the locomotive. There are actually two of the pipes 5, one on each side'of the locomotive, but inasmuch as the cold water feed arrangement and the hot water otftake arrangement is the same on each side of the locomotive the description of one will suffice for both. The pipe 5 terminates at a check valve 7 (Figs. 1 and 2) the gate 8 of which swings forwardly and prevents the retrograde movement of water in the pipe 5.

A'by-pass 9 is interposed in'the pipe 5. The by-pass has an upward branch 10 which connects with a valve 11. The branch 10 is communicable with the hot water feed which communicates with the heater shell.

17, the other side with a normally closed blow-out cock 18.

side of the locomotive. This is well shown in Figure 3 and other views, the duplicate structure being indicated by corresponding reference characters.

, The shell 17 is of annular, tubular formation but is not continuous. It is made in a plurality of sections, preferably two, which are joined at a central flange 19. The ends of the shell have flanges 20 through which the flanges of a coupling 21. are connected by bolts 22 or othersuitable means, circular Mention has been made i .of the pipe 5 being duplicated on the other Figure 1 is a side elevation, parts being in section of a modern locomotive upon plates 23 being interposed. These plates provide the 'mounting for an annular tubular casing 24, the tapered ends 25 of which pass through central openings in the circular plates.

Flanges 26 on the tubular casing 24 receive {bolts '27, or other securing means, which pass through'theplates 23 and hold the.casing in position. The space 28 around the tubular casing 24 is filled with water in the operation of the heater, inasmuch as the define the walls of the steam chamber around and outside of the tubular casing 24. A common pipe 32 having a normally closed valve 33 permits draining the steam chamber of any water of condensation which may accumulate.

Mention has been made of a pipe 5 on each side of the locomotive. These pipes 5 enter the shell 17 at one end of the space 28, one of the pipes entering at the bottom, the other at the top. A similar arrangement prevails in the case of the hot water feed pipes 12. There. are two of these pipes; one enters the space 28 at the bottom, the other at the top, but these pipes enterthe space on the other side of the coupling 21. The arrows in Figure 3 illustrate the passage of the'water. The lower pipe 12 connects with an elbow 34 with one side of which a blowout cock 35 is connected as in the case of the blow-out cock 18 of the lower pipe 5.

Mounted on top of the outer shell 17 is a safety valve 36 (Figs. 3 and 4) for the purpose of relieving the space-28 of pressure in case the heater is cut off and the locomotive boiler-is charged directly from the injectors. The steam outlets 31 have communication with a nozzle 37 (Fig. 4) from which the spent steam escapes through the smoke stack 38. The inlet 30 has communication with a commonconnection 39 (Fig. 4) from which a plurality of branches 4O extend. These branches are connected with the exhaust pipes 41 and 42 of the valves 43 and 44 Fig. 1) of the locomotive L. The valve c ests 43 and 44 are duplicated on the other side of the locomotive, hence the necessity for four branch inlets to the common connection 39 in Figure 4. The exhaust steam is employedfor the purpose of heating the feed water of the locomotive.

Reference is now made to Figure 4. The front of the shell 17 has several openings 45 which are closed by plates 46 secured in place by bolts 47. These plates are removed when it becomes necessary to gain access to the interior of the shell for the purposes of cleaning, etc. Figure 4 also shows the braces 48 by which the heater shell 17 is supported in spaced relationship to the casing 6 of the locomotive.

The operation is readily understood from the following additional description. The exhaust steam from the steam chests 43 and 44 is conducted to the common coupling 39 (Fig. 4) whence it enters thesteam chamber of the connection 21 (Fig. 3), via the inlet 30. All of the exhaust steam is utilized in heating the feed water of the locomotive boiler, the spent steam finally emerging at the outlet 31 and nozzle 37 whence it passes through the stack 38.

By virtue of the fact that the tubular easing 24 is of large and ample proportions there will be plenty of room for the escape of the exhaust from the Valve chests with a and also to'asscmble it in position in the extension front 6 of the locomotive. The heater is situated here in order that the heat of the gases from the furnace may be utilized, in part at least, to contribute to the heating effect of the exhaust steam. The

furnace gases and exhaust steam are now largely wasted, and by utilizing them as proposed by the invention a considerable saving will be made. It is also an advantage to preheat the feed water, thus preventing unusual contraction and expansion of the boiler tubes.

A feature of the invention is that it heats the water as the water passes through the heater. There is no circulation of the feed water back and forth between the heater'and the tank 1, and no exhaust steam mingles with the feed water.

Provision is made for cutting out the feed water heater under circumstances when the heater shall have become damaged or otherwise unfit for use. While this condition is not likely to happen, the following provisions are made nevertheless. It has been stated that in Figure 2 the valve 11 is closed, 13 open and 15 also open. Should the feel water heater become disabled, the valves ,13 and 15 willbe closed and the val re 11 opened. Water from the pipe 5 is then admitted through the by-pass 9 directly into the boiler at the fitting 14. The safety valve 36 is for the urpose of letting ofl steam should such orm upon disconnecting the heater as stated.

' While the construction and arrangement of the improved feed water heater is that of a generally preferred form, obviously modifications and changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim 1. A feed water heater comprising a relatively large substantially circular tubular casing open at confronting ends for the entrance and exit of exhaust steam, a concentric water shell containing said casing in closely spaced relationship, said shell being composed of sections permitting assembly aroundlsaid casing, plates secured in said shell.

2. A feed water heater comprising a pair of partition plates each having a single large central opening, a water shell having inlet andoutlet openings and in which shell said plates occupy fixed positions, a relatively large tubularcasing situated in the shell having confronting open ends for the entrance and exit of exhaust steam which ends are externally -tapered to fit the openings in said plates, flan es on the casing, and

means to draw the anges into contact with 1 said plates and the tapered ends into said openings whereby to make a fluid-tight joint and provide an adequate sole mounting for the casing within the shell.

3. An article of manufacture for an exhaust steam feed water heater comprising a coupling section, a common connection for exhaust steam branches which are connectible with said coupling section, said connection being integral with said section having a single opening thereinto, a nozzle integral with said section extending from and opening thereinto, said openings being of relatively large size to accommodate large volumes of steam involved, and a partition in said coupling section separating the openings and being'of S shape to fit therearound. 1 JAMES H. KIDWELL. 

